Lamar Jackson and the Ravens wasted no time announcing themselves in Week 1, hanging 41 points on the Indianapolis Colts and vaulting to the top of my weekly NFL Power Rankings. Now Baltimore gets another chance to keep that momentum rolling on Sunday, Sept. 20, when the New Orleans Saints come to town for a Week 2 matchup that already has plenty of offense baked into it.
Baltimore’s opener was powered by a monster day from Derrick Henry and a clean, efficient showing from Jackson. Henry ran 24 times for 144 yards and three touchdowns, while Jackson added one passing score and one rushing score. That kind of production is exactly why the Ravens are expected to be one of the league’s toughest teams to deal with on offense.
But there’s a wrinkle here. Baltimore came out of Week 1 with injury concerns after losing Ja’Kobi Lane (wrist) and Zay Flowers (hamstring).
Flowers, in particular, looks like the bigger name to watch, though he did not return on Sunday and may be a long shot for Week 2. If he sits, the Ravens could lean even harder into the ground game.
That would be bad news for a Saints defense that had trouble slowing the run in its own opener. Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs gashed New Orleans for 156 yards on 29 carries and two rushing touchdowns. Henry is a different kind of problem, but the result is the same: a bruising test for a defense that just got pushed around.
And Henry is coming in hot. At 32, he looked every bit like a centerpiece back in Week 1, averaging 6.0 yards per carry and adding a 19-yard reception to his line. If Baltimore decides to keep things simple and physical, Henry could be in line for another big workload.
That said, the Saints showed in their opener that they can hang around. After a rough first half against the Detroit Lions, Tyler Shough and New Orleans clawed back, forced overtime, and nearly stole the game on a two-point conversion attempt in OT. Shough finished with 400 passing yards, and the Saints have already shown they can turn a game into a late scramble for a backdoor cover.
That’s part of why this number feels steep. Oddsmakers have New Orleans as a huge road underdog, but laying 8.5 with Baltimore doesn’t come easy, especially with the Ravens possibly short-handed on offense. Still, there’s reason to trust the direction of this Baltimore attack with offensive coordinator Declan Doyle calling the plays.
The defense, though, is still a work in progress. Even with the game under control, the Ravens allowed 23 points to the Colts. Jesse Minter may get that side of the ball tightened up as the season moves along, but right now Baltimore has shown it can be had.
New Orleans also brings enough firepower to make this interesting. Around Shough, the Saints have Chris Olave, Travis Etienne Jr., Juwan Johnson and Devaughn Vele, and that group gives them a real chance to score with Baltimore if the game opens up.
With both teams putting up big numbers in Week 1 - the Ravens scored 64 combined points with the Colts, and the Saints were right behind them with 61 in their overtime loss to Detroit - the total makes sense. This has the feel of another game where both offenses can show up and keep the scoreboard moving.
In Other News...
Ravens Fans Got The Zay Flowers Update They Needed
Zay Flowers early exit from Week 1 raised the usual alarm for Ravens fans, but the latest update offered some reassurance. The second-year receiver is day-to-day after suffering a hamstring injury against the Indianapolis Colts, and the team did not push the issue once Baltimore had built a comfortable lead. It was the kind of precautionary move teams make when they can afford to think beyond one game.
Jesse Minter confirmed Flowers status ahead of Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints, keeping the door open for a quick return while still leaving the Ravens with a little uncertainty to monitor. Hamstrings can be tricky, even when the initial concern is mild, so Baltimore will be watching closely as the week unfolds. For now, the news is as good as the Ravens could have reasonably hoped for after watching one of their top playmakers head to the sideline. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens May Not Have Much Time To Solve This WR Problem
The Ravens are still navigating a thin wide receiver room in mid-September, and the lack of a veteran addition has only sharpened the sense that this is a spot worth watching. Head coach Jesse Minter has acknowledged the possibility of going outside the building, but for now the focus remains on internal options and on handling injured players carefully as the team tries to keep the offense from getting too stretched.
Even with the season already underway, Baltimore may not be able to let the issue linger much longer. Several veteran receivers are being floated as possible additions to the roster or practice squad, and the next move could say a lot about how urgently the Ravens view the problem. For a team trying to stay balanced on offense, the question is whether help arrives soon enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Moore Just Made The Ravens Roster Decision A Lot Harder
Chris Moore gave the Ravens a lot to think about in their Week 1 game against the Colts, handling the primary kick return duties and flashing as a receiver when he got his chance. He finished with four kick returns for 121 yards and added a 53-yard catch, a showing that lined up with the kind of all-purpose value Baltimore can always use when the roster starts to tighten up.
Jesse Minter made clear he noticed the impact, and Moores 174 all-purpose yards only sharpened the question of whether his performance was enough to push him toward the 53-man roster. With another wide receiver dealing with an injury, the Ravens suddenly have a tougher call to make about whether Moores special teams spark and playmaking on offense are enough to earn him a longer stay. [Read more 🡒]